Roller for fireproof blinds or curtains.



PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

E. H. MGCLOUD. A RQLLER FOR FIREPROOF BLINDS 0R CURTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED N07.14, 1904.

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ROLLER FOR FIREPROOF BLINDS OR CURTAINS- Specification of Letters Patent Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed November 14, 1904. Serial Nol 232.638.

T0 @ZZ whom, t 77th/,y concern:

Be it known thatI, EDWARD HARRISON Mo- CLOUD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rollers for Fireproof Blinds or Curtains; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved roller for iireproof curtains or blinds in which the counterbalancing-spring is partially orwholly released and the rolleroperating devices also released upon the occurrence of fire.

The invention consists in the combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional View taken longitudinally of the roller. Fig. 2 is an elevation lookingat the right-hand side of the construction seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line .fr Fig. 1.

In the construction shown, 1 and laare brackets for supporting the roller. The roller comprises two shafts 2 and 2, on which are end collars 3 and 3a and middle collars tand 4:, that support the drum 5, and springs 6 and 6a, connecting, respectively, the left-hand end collar with the shaft at that end and one of the middle collars with the shaft at the other end. The left-hand shaft is fixed or keyed in its bracket. The right-hand collar 3 is prolonged beyond the end of the drum to constitute astud-shaft 3", that is supported in an appropriate bearing in the right-hand bracket, so that it may rotate therein, and the righthand shaft 2u extends through, projects beyond, and is rotatable in a bearing in the collar 3u. The outer end of the stud-shaft 3h has keyed to it a spur-gear 7, and the outer end of the shaft 2EL has keyed to it a finger 8.

Pivoted at its inner end to the outer side of the right-hand bracket l, below the plane of the axis of the roller, is a frame 9, carrying a shaft 9, on which is mounted a pinion 10 to engage the spur-gear 7 and a sprocket-Wheel 11, over which runs a sprocket-chain 12 for operating' the pinion. provided with a notch-like seat 9b to engage the end of the finger 8. The frame 9 is held up in position where the finger 8 will engage The frame 9 is also' the notch 9b and the pinion 10 the gear 7 by means of a gravity-latch that engages a projection 9c on the outer end of the frame 9, and the gravity-latch is held in this position by means of a sectional wire 14, severable at a fusible joint on a dangerous rise of temperature.

When the curtain is installed,the tension of the spring 6 is, according to the weightof the curtain, made such as to prevent its violent descent in case the curtain is liberated as to the spring 6a, and the tension of the spring 6 is made such as to make the operation-the rolling up-of the curtain easy. In some curtains the combined tension of the two springs can be suficient to permit the curtain to be pushed up by hand and without the use of a chain-hoist and at the same time allow the curtain to automatically descend if the roller is relieved of the tension of the spring 6a.

The operation therefore is as follows: Upon a dangerous rise of temperature the frame 9 is released and swings down'by gravity, thus liberating the finger 8 and the spring 6a. At the same time the pinion 10 is disengaged from the gear 7, thus relieving the descending curtain of the friction and work incident to operating the pinion and hoisting-chain. When the parts are all engaged, as in their normal position, the curtain is raised and lowered in the ordinaryway-that is, either by pushing up or pulling down by hand or by means of mechanism, (the sprocket-chain andpiniom) as illustrated in the drawings.

The forms and connections of the parts shown can be changed without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim,'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy 1. The combination of a pair of supportingbrackets, a curtain-roller, a fixed shaft in one of said brackets to support the roller at one end, a spring connecting said shaft and roller, a perforated stud-shaft fixed in the opposite end of said roller and rotatably supported in the other of said brackets, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through said perforated stud-shaft, a spring connecting the inner portioniof said rotatable shaft and the curtain-roller, a finger fixed on the outer end of said shaft, a gear on the aforesaid studshaft, a driving-pinion to engage said gear, means for engaging the linger on said rotatable shaft to latch the same from rotation, a movable support common to the said pinion IOO and the means for latching the rotatable shaft Whereby they may be simultaneously released from engagement With said parts.

2. The combination of a pair of brackets, a curtain-roller, a fixed shaft in one of said brackets to support the roller at one end, a spring connecting said shaft and roller, a perforated stud-shaft fixed in the opposite end of said roller and rotatably supported in the other of said brackets, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through said perforated stud-shaft, a spring connecting the inner portion of said rotatable shaft and the curtainroller, a finger fixed on the outer end of said shaft, agear on the aforesaid stud-shaft, a driving-pinion to engage said gear, means for engaging the aforesaid finger to latch the shaft from rotation, and means for liberating said finger-engaging means by a dangerous rise of temperature.

3. lIn a curtain-roller apparatus, the combination of a pair of brackets', a curtain-roller supported at one end in one of said brackets, a perforated stud-shaft fixed in the opposite end of said roller and rotatably supported in' the other of said brackets, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through said perforated stud-shaft, a spring' connecting the inner portion of said rotatable shaft and the curtain-roller, a finger fixed on the outer end of said shaft, an operating-wheel on the aforesaid stud-shaft, means for engaging' the aforesaid finger to latch the shaft from rotation, and means for liberating the finger-engaging means by a dangerous rise of temperature.

In testimony Whereofl aliix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EDWARD HARRISON MCCLOUD.

Witnesses:

U. E. PETERS, GEORGE M. FINCKEL. 

